


Golden hours

by Blackstarsabove



Series: Embers [5]
Category: The Last Kingdom (TV), The Warrior Chronicles | The Saxon Stories - Bernard Cornwell
Genre: Boys In Love, Comfort No Hurt, Drabble, Established Relationship, Fluff, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Idiots in Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:34:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24507769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blackstarsabove/pseuds/Blackstarsabove
Summary: After their loss at Bebbanburg and the battle at Tettenhall, Uhtred's oathmen enjoy the temporary peace at Saltwic.
Relationships: Finan/Sihtric (The Last Kingdom)
Series: Embers [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1771612
Comments: 11
Kudos: 55





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Publishing this was like a leap of faith cause I'm still a bit lost sorry, feedback is welcome, please ignore my inability to tag I'm working on it.

It was nice to finally have a change of pace. The past months had been stressful and exhausting, both physically and mentally. They had been filled with loss, pain, battles and blood and Sihtric had found himself longing for some peace and time to heal.

Now he had that time. Uhtred and the lady Aethelflaed had left Saltwic two days ago to go to Aegelsbure, which left his men to protect the children. 

The estate was nice enough, not the most spacious Sihtric had ever seen but it was enough for the seven of them. Aelfwynn and Aethelstan each had their own rooms while Stiorra and Young Uhtred had grudgingly decided to share so that Osferth could be spared staying with Sihtric and Finan and could instead have his own, considerably smaller, room.

Osferth and Young Uhtred were the only ones in the house with solid cooking skills, which left Sihtric and Finan to take care of the children, seeing as Stiorra made it a point that she did want to do it anymore. Sihtric could understand that. Even though Aethelstan and Aelwynn were rather easy to look after, he imagined that it could get exhausting over time. Especially for one girl alone.

This afternoon Young Uhtred was watching over Athelstan, teaching him about the Christian god from what Sihtric understood, while Osferth sharpened all of their weapons in the shade underneath the tall trees. Their baby monk had sent Finan to the next village to get some more food and ale not long ago, which meant that Sihtric was left alone with Stiorra and Aelfwynn. The three of them had found a nice spot in the shade of another, smaller tree, which stood in the middle of the small meadow surrounding the estate. 

Aelfwynn had insisted on braiding Sihtric's hair and the Young warrior had finally caved, lying in the grass while Aelfwynn gathered some flowers to decorate his hair with once it was braided and because Sihtric had nothing better to do he had agreed to telling Stiorra about the gods.  
Uhtred's daughter was eager to learn more about her mother's culture and even though her father had grown up with the same gods, he did not know all the tales of made mistakes when telling some of them, a result of translation mistakes Sihtric guessed. Sihtric on the other hand had heard the tales for as long as he could remember and he had soaked them up whenever he had had the chance to.

And so they spent the rest of the afternoon. Sihtric told Stiorra the story of how the world was created and of how it would end. He told her of Loki's tricks and of Thor's adventures, told her the story of how Odin gave his eye and the story of how Tyr lost his hand.  
Stiorra had listened closely, no doubt trying to memorize each story.

When he finished and Stiorra had left to play with Aelfwynn after the younger girl had tired of hearing Sihtric talk, the Dane closed his eyes to rest for a moment.

That was where Finan found him when he returned just after nightfall, fast asleep in the grass, flowers decorating the delicate braids that streaked through his dark hair. The Irishman smiled fondly, crouching down to wake him up as it was starting to get rather cold outside. He moved the few strands that had fallen into his face back gently then placed a kiss on his forehead. 

The Dane stirred and for a moment Finan thought he would try to kick him but Sihtric recognized his lover by how gentle he was, merely turning his face away from him.  
"Let me sleep" he mumbled, not even opening his eyes. Finan sighed in frustration but then came up with an idea. The older warrior prided himself with being a lot stronger than his lover and it wouldn't hurt to prove that to him again so Finan carefully scooped the younger man up in his arms.  
Sihtric had gained weight now that he got food on a mostly regular basis and he had definitely gained some muscle as well but he was by no means heavy. Even if he were, it wasn't the first time Finan had carried him and as long as he could he most definitely would continue to do so when the situation called for it.

Sleepy eyes blinked open for a moment before closing again and Sihtric rested his head on Finan's chest wordlessly as the older man carried him inside.  
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Finan asked jokingly, receiving a mischievous smile in return.  
"Maybe"  
The Irishman just smiled stepping to the side to let Stiorra and Osferth, who carried everything Finan had bought at the village from the cart into the house. Both of them smiled a bit when they saw them.  
"Did he trick you again?" Osferth asked when he noticed the little smirk on Sihtric's lips.  
"Shut up baby monk" Finan retorted, huffing when he stepped into the house. Once they reached the main room he dropped his lover on the pillows that were laid out on the floor by Aethelstan earlier. That cause Sihtric, who had closed his eyes again, to let out something skin to a squeal, followed by a string of danish curses that Finan had yet to learn the meaning of.

A mere second after he had landed on the pillows, Sihtric was on his feet again, jumping onto Finan's back when he made the mistake of not paying attention to him. 

"You bastard!" The younger had his legs wrapped around Finan's middle tightly while he tried to choke him with arm. Finan laughed, with some effort dropping the younger back down on the pillows again. But Sihtric didn't give up, turning them over so that he was sitting on Finan's stomach, a triumphant smile on his handsome face. That smile was almost enough to make Finan let him win because of that smile but his pride stopped him. The Irishman turned quickly, throwing Sihtric off balance before pinning him down with both his arms above his head. Finan tried to kick and throw him off but Finan was too heavy.

The younger pouted, turning his head away from him but Finan would have none of that, letting go of one of his hands in order to turn his face back around to face him. Sihtric reached up with his free hand, pulling Finan's head down to kiss him in hopes of distracting the other. Unfortunately for him, Finan knew his tricks and didn't loosen his grip on him.

"Fine...you win", he grumbled once Finan had pulled away, "...but only this once"  
"I always win" Finan moved off the younger then, offering him a hand to help him onto his feet, which Sihtric accepted. When the two of them finally took their eyes off each other they found the rest of their little household staring at them.

Stiorra was trying her hardest to stiffle a giggle while her brother looked only slightly bewildered. Aelfwynn was smiling a little where she had been playing with her bird before the two man had caught her attention and Aethelstan's look was vacant as always. Osferth on the other hand looked almost proud, like a father would even his son returned from a battle victorious.

"I'm hungry", Sihtric piped up after a few moments of awkward silence.  
"Hungry for what exactly?", Finan asked almost teasingly, then Stiorra finally couldn't hold it in any longer, breaking into almost hysterical giggling while the children looked a little bit confused.

That night, as he was lying in bed after a good meal, a few cups of ale and a few relatively entertaining stories from Osferth's time at the monastery, with his lover's arms wrapped around him while his head rested on the other man's chest, Sihtric found that he had missed times like these even more than he had thought.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments on the last post they really mean a lot❤  
> Once again feedback is appreciated though I fear that quality is already lowering in this chapter. Excuse any weird words/typos my autocorrect is a traitor

The following days were much the same but for once Sihtric didn't tire of the peace. He had Finan's attention whenever he wanted it and his only worry was how to keep all the children occupied.  
It really was a good life.

The sun greeted him that morning, its golden rays falling in from the small window on the opposite side of the room, promising another warm day. Sihtric carefully removed himself from Finan's arms, yawning as he stretched out his stiff limbs. As much as he enjoyed sharing a bed with Finan, the current heat wave made it almost unbearable. The Dane could already feel his dark hair sticking to his forehead and he had yet to do anything that could potentially make him sweat.  
Finan, who had noticed his lover's absence by then and had opened his eyes when he couldn't find him on the bed, yawned as well, grabbing Sihtric's wrist to try and pull him back into his arms. But the younger shook him off, a small smirk on his face.  
"Don't even think about it", Sihtric mumbled, starting to get dressed, "I will go to the river to take a bath, which means that you will look after the children when they wake up", he informed the Irishman, placing a kiss on Finan's forehead. He quickly walked over to the door after that before the latter could process his words and try to stop him.  
"Well that is just cruel" Finan huffed, turning onto his side to look after him as he left the room. The Dane just shrugged, giggling quietly before disappearing completely and leaving Finan to his fate.

The heat only got worse over the course of the day, which was why they were all sitting outside in the shade by the time Sihtric returned from the river. Osferth and Uhtred were sitting on the small bench in front of the house with Aethelstan and from the looks of it had the young boy reading to them, practice if he had to guess, while Stiorra and Aelfwynn were lying in the grass and watching the clouds pass by in the sky above.  
Sihtric smiled fondly, brushing his damp hair away from his forehead before beginning his search for Finan, which luckily ended pretty early on when he found him tending to the horses. Even though he hadn't taken long he was already sweating again by the time he entered the stables.  
"Did you have fun?" Finan asked when he looked up from refilling the water tank, though it came out more as an accusation than a question. Sihtric took it in his usual stride, stepping closer to Finan and wrapping his arms around the other's waist.  
"I did. You should join me tonight", he offered, then leaned up to capture the Irishman's lips in a short but sweet kiss. That was enough to make the taller man drop his act and tilt Sihtric's chin up to give him a kiss in return.  
"Gladly. We just have to survive the day first."  
Sihtric hummed in agreement, pulling away from Finan to greet Eivor, his horse, and give him an apple he had found outside.  
Together they made sure all the horses were fed before rejoining the rest of their group. The two of them settled in the shade of the trees, Sihtric's head placed on Finan's tigh so the older man could braid it in hopes of it being less hot when the hair was off his skin.

Osferth joined them at some point, leaving Young Uhtred to overlook Aethelstan's progress.  
"Any word of Aethelred?" The monk asked, addressing Finan who had talked to a merchant earlier in the day.  
"Only that he's dying", Finan replied, not looking up from his work.  
"That means we'll stay here a few more days", Osferth mumbled, an unreadable expression on his face, "I dread what will happen when Aethelred is no more."  
He had voiced what they were all thinking but Finan dismissed him, not wanting to waste their peaceful days by thinking about the next war that was looking over them. Because surely their lord would get involved in the unrest that would undoubtedly ensue.  
"Fate will decide", the Irishman decided eventually when Osferth still looked at him expectantly, securing the last braid.  
"Careful, Finan. The Dane is starting to rub off on you", Osferth teased, earning a small smirk and light kick from Sihtric. Finan smiled as well but didn't respond, looking at the trees above.  
It was true. Sometimes it was hard to tell where one ended and the other began but that was what was so beautiful about their relationship. They had both grown a lot since they had first met and despite their differences they had grown together, as a couple. They had healed each other's wounds and had each other's backs but most importantly they wouldn't be where they were without one another.  
The braids and beads that now adorned Finan's hair were proof of that. Sihtric had made them and the beads were taken from his own braid which Finan braided for him. It was subtle enough but the two of them knew the meaning and that was enough.

When night fell and the children were all asleep, Finan and Sihtric made their way over to the river that was located not far from the estate.  
The sweltering heat had subsided only slightly which was why they were both eager to get out of their clothes and into the cool water but that did not mean Sihtric wouldn't tease his lover. He took off his tunic, closing the distance between them to do the same for Finan.  
Once it was exposed, the Dane started placing kisses on Finan's collarbone, all the way down to his stomach. The Irishman didn't stop him, enjoying the sight far too much to argue but when Sihtric slowly moved back up with the kisses again, a mischievous glint in his eyes, Finan had had enough of waiting. He pulled the Dane up, not too genty pulling off Sihtric's breeches before throwing the younger warrior over his shoulder. The smaller male protested loudly, trying to kick him but he couldn't avoid being thrown into the water in the end.  
Sihtric laughed when he resurfaced, his dark eyes glistening in the moonlight. Finan joined him soon after, wrapping his arms around the other's waist from behind to keep him close. His lips quickly connected with Sihtric's pale neck, decorating it with a few soon to be bruises, while his hands roamed over the Dane's body.  
Sihtric leaned into his touch, a few quiet moans escaping him when he felt his lover's big hands on his abdomen and then lower still. But Finan, too, loved to tease.

Dark clouds were gathering in the sky when they finally emerged from the water, both thoroughly statisfied, and by the time they were dressed, the first raindrops started to fall. In the distance they could hear the thunder rumbling and Sihtric briefly touched his amulet, whispering, what Finan supposed was a prayer, before taking his lover's hand to pull him towards himself. The Irishman's arms quickly wrapped around his lover's waist as he touched their foreheads together carefully, taking a little bit of time to enjoy the moment as well as each other's company.

The smell of rain filled the air by the time they made it into their room and Sihtric was smiling so much, he feared his face would end up tearing apart because of it. Finan had just told him a story from the time when he had still lived in Ireland and while Sihtric had already forgotten half of the tale, he did remember how happy Finan had looked while telling it. The smile didn't leave the Dane's face when Finan joined him on the bed and the two of them finally got to finish what they had started at the river properly.

Later that night, when the storm had already passed, Sihtric was sitting on the windowsill, his legs dangling outside as he watched the rain hit the grass and the leaves. He smiled when the soft breeze brought the relief they had been hoping for. Soon he could feel Finan, who had been fast asleep on the bed mere moments ago, behind him and leaned back against his chest. His lips quickly found Finan's neck and he placed a few kisses there, a deep sigh escaping him as he thought about what lay ahead of them.  
"I too dread what will happen", he mumbled, referring to what Osferth had said earlier that day. "I've come to quite enjoy peace", he continued after a moment, his eyes returning to the branches that danced in the wind.  
Finan hummed in agreement.  
"You think too much. Besides...it's already late", he muttered, lifting the younger from the windowsill so he could drop him off on the bed.  
"Sleep."  
Sihtric didn't protest, moving over to make room for Finan, who promptly joined him and pulled him back against his bigger frame.  
"I enjoy it too... even though we both know it won't last forever," Finan spoke up again when they were settled in.  
Now it was Sihtric's turn to hum in agreement, "and yet I'm not afraid of what will happen. I'm not afraid because I know you will be by my side."  
Sihtric rolled his eyes at the Irishman's cheesy words, though he couldn't hide the smile that formed on his face as he settled against Finan's chest.  
"You'd be lost without me...", Sihtric teased, his eyes closing on their own accord.  
"Truly lost."  
"...and I'd be lost without you"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, which, for now, concludes this work. However you may or may not have noticed that it is part of a series that I have been and will keep working on.  
> I have some drama ready but it will take some time to go over them and fill in the gaps. I've been thinking a lot about how to group them but decided that the next work I want to publish is the work in which they actually got together so don't be surprised when I take a jump back in time and then go from there.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
> I'm still relatively new here so excuse any mistakes I might have made (I will probably go over this chapter at some point in the future when I have more of a clue as to what I'm actually doing) .  
> These to chapters are taken from my book of one shots I've been working on for about a month but I chose to release this chapter first, seeing as it's the one I felt the best about. The rest of the series will follow and I will (hopefully be able to) put everything in a chronological order then.


End file.
